Your app is technically solid. You've passed the marketplace review. You're live on Salesforce AppExchange, Shopify App Store, or HubSpot Marketplace.
But you're getting maybe 10 installs per month. Meanwhile, competitors with worse products rank higher and convert better.
Marketplace optimization is its own discipline. Here's how to actually get discovered and drive installs.
Marketplace SEO Is Different Than Website SEO
Google SEO: Backlinks matter. Domain authority matters. Content volume matters.
Marketplace SEO: None of that applies.
Marketplace algorithms prioritize:
- Install velocity: How many installs you're getting recently
- Review ratings: Average rating and total review count
- Engagement metrics: Do users who install actually use your app?
- Keyword relevance: How well your listing matches search terms
This creates a cold start problem. You need installs to rank. You need ranking to get installs.
Breaking the Cold Start Problem
Salesforce AppExchange approach:
Launch with a targeted outbound push to your existing customer base. Even 20-30 installs in the first week signals to the algorithm that your app has momentum.
How Conga did this: Sent targeted emails to existing customers: "We're now on AppExchange. Install today and get white-glove onboarding."
Result: 50 installs in week one. Enough to break into "Trending Apps" section. That visibility drove organic discovery.
Don't: Launch your marketplace listing and hope. The algorithm won't promote apps with no traction.
Keyword Strategy for Marketplace Listings
Shopify App Store indexes:
- App name (heavily weighted)
- Subtitle
- Description
- Feature bullet points
The temptation: Keyword stuff everything.
Example of bad keyword stuffing: "Invoice Generator PDF Invoice Maker Invoice Template Invoice Creator"
Shopify's algorithm penalizes this. Users hate it.
Instead: Strategic keyword placement
Primary keyword in app name: "InvoiceQuick - Invoice Generator"
Secondary keywords in subtitle: "Create professional PDF invoices and estimates in minutes"
Long-tail keywords in description: Natural language that includes variations: "Generate branded invoices," "send professional estimates," "automate billing workflows."
HubSpot Marketplace insight:
They weight conversions heavily. An app titled "Email Marketing Tool" that ranks #12 but converts at 15% will eventually outrank #3 app converting at 3%.
Focus on keywords where you can win conversions, not just traffic.
Your Listing Is a Landing Page
Most marketplace listings fail because they're feature lists:
"Features:
- Real-time sync
- Custom fields
- Advanced reporting
- API access"
This tells me nothing about why I should care.
High-converting listings follow the same structure as good landing pages:
Problem statement (first 2 lines): "Shopify's native reports don't show profit margins. You're making pricing decisions blind."
Now I'm interested.
Solution (next paragraph): "ProfitMetrics adds cost tracking to Shopify, showing real-time profit margins for every product, collection, and sales channel."
Now I understand what you do.
Social proof (immediately after): "Used by 5,000+ Shopify stores averaging 23% margin improvement in first 90 days."
Now I believe you.
Feature bullets should tie to outcomes:
Bad: "Advanced reporting dashboard"
Good: "Identify which products are actually profitable vs. just generating revenue"
Screenshots That Actually Convert
Common mistake: Screenshots that show your full interface.
Users can't parse complex UI in small marketplace thumbnails.
Shopify's internal research: Users spend average 3 seconds per screenshot.
Screenshot strategy that works:
Screenshot 1: The hero outcome Not your dashboard. Show the specific insight or result users want.
Example (from inventory app): Screenshot showing "You're about to stockout of Product X" alert with revenue at risk calculation.
Screenshot 2: The workflow Show how simple the process is. 3 steps max.
Screenshot 3: Integration/setup Show it works with tools they already use.
Screenshot 4-5: Key features Now show specific features, but isolated and annotated.
Zoom's approach on Salesforce AppExchange: Screenshot 1: Salesforce contact record with one-click "Start Zoom call" button Screenshot 2: Automatic logging of meeting notes back to Salesforce Screenshot 3: Calendar integration showing Zoom links
Each screenshot shows outcome + simplicity.
Reviews Drive Everything
Data from Shopify's 2024 partner summit:
- Apps with 100+ reviews install at 3.2x rate of apps with <10 reviews
- Moving from 4.5 to 4.7 rating increases installs 40%
- Recent reviews (last 30 days) weighted more heavily than old reviews
How to actually get reviews:
In-app prompts at moment of value:
Don't ask for review on day 1. Ask when user has experienced value.
"You've just created your 50th invoice! Help other merchants find InvoiceQuick by leaving a review."
Email campaigns to engaged users:
Segment by usage. Email users who've been active 30+ days:
"You've been using InvoiceQuick for a month. If it's saving you time, would you mind leaving a quick review on the Shopify App Store?"
Response to negative reviews matters:
Marketplaces track if you respond. Detailed, helpful responses to negative reviews improve your algorithmic standing even if you don't change the rating.
Example from top-rated HubSpot app:
Negative review: "Doesn't sync historical data"
Response: "Thanks for the feedback. You're right - we don't backfill historical data on initial sync to avoid overwriting existing records. For your use case, I'd recommend our Advanced plan which includes historical import. I'll have our team reach out to help migrate your data. Email us at support@..."
This shows future reviewers you're responsive and helpful.
Category Selection Strategy
Most marketplaces let you select multiple categories.
The mistake: Selecting all categories your app could fit into.
The strategy: Select categories where you can rank in top 10.
Salesforce AppExchange example:
Your app does contract management. You could categorize as:
- Sales (huge category, 500+ apps)
- Document Management (medium category, 80 apps)
- Contract Management (small category, 15 apps)
If you're new: Start with "Contract Management" where you can realistically rank top 5. Once you have traction there, expand to "Document Management."
Don't start by competing in "Sales" against Salesforce's promoted partners.
Free vs. Paid Listing Strategy
HubSpot Marketplace data: Free apps get 10x installs of paid apps. But paid apps have 4x higher engagement.
The freemium marketplace approach:
Free tier that solves real problem: Not a trial. A genuinely useful free version that targets long-tail users.
Example: "Free for up to 50 invoices/month"
This drives:
- Installs (algorithm loves this)
- Reviews (free users leave reviews)
- Conversions (10-15% of free users eventually upgrade)
PandaDoc's Shopify strategy: Free tier: 3 documents per month This drove them to top 10 in "Invoices" category 15% of free users convert to $20/month paid plan within 90 days
Seasonal Optimization
Marketplaces have seasonality that most developers ignore:
Shopify App Store:
- Peak installs: October-November (merchants preparing for Black Friday)
- Secondary peak: January (new year, new tools)
- Summer slump: June-August
Strategy: Time your major updates, campaigns, and promotions to seasonal peaks.
Launch that big new feature in October, not July.
Competitive Displacement
Your biggest opportunity: Users searching for competitors by name.
Tactic: Optimize for "[Competitor Name] alternative" searches in your description.
"Looking for a [Competitor X] alternative? [Your App] offers [specific differentiation] at [price difference]."
Legal note: Don't use competitor names in your app title. Most marketplaces prohibit this. But description optimization is fair game.
Measuring What Matters
Track these metrics weekly:
Discovery metrics:
- Search impressions for target keywords
- Category ranking position
- Click-through rate from search to listing
Conversion metrics:
- Listing views to install rate
- Install to activation rate (are they using it?)
- Free to paid conversion rate
Engagement signals:
- Daily active users
- Feature usage rate
- Session length
Marketplaces track engagement. Apps that get installed but never used get algorithmically demoted.
Platform-Specific Insights
Shopify App Store: Heavily weights merchant reviews. Focus there first.
Salesforce AppExchange: Promoted listings and "ISV Partners" get algorithmic boost. Consider partnership investment.
HubSpot Marketplace: Conversion rate is king. They'll rank a 50-install app above 500-install app if conversion is higher.
Microsoft AppSource: Enterprise focus means longer sales cycles. Optimize for "Request Demo" not "Install Now."
Getting discovered in crowded marketplaces isn't about having the best product. It's about understanding the algorithm, optimizing for conversions, and systematically building the signals that marketplaces reward.